Bridging the Generation Gap

If government

was depicted

as a pop culture

family…

…would

we be

more like

this?

…or this?

Or maybe even…

like this?

however we see

ourselves…

we’d better learn to get along

For the next

56 minutes…

Gens and Gov Overview

Gen Y Perspective

Boomer PerspectiveYour Questions

Four Generations

Defined by: demographics, media, pop culture, market research

Shaped by: shared childhood experiences, early-adulthood actions

Intended to: stereotype understand common traits

Four Generations

Traditionals /Matures

Baby Boomers

Gen XGen Y /

Millennials

Born: 1920-30s 1946-1964 1965-1978 1979-2000

Age:Mid 60s to 70s

Mid-40s to Mid-60s

30s to Mid-40s

Tweensto 20s

Four Generations

Traditionals Boomers Gen X Gen Y

Work: By Book Get It Done Efficient Deadlines

Boss: Command Seniority So? Tell, Do, Praise

Personal: Work | Home Work First Balance Blend

Advance: Experience Earned It Eh? Eager

For more detailed info, please see http://www.slideshare.net/govloop/

Four Generations

Caveat: “Curmudgeons

come in all ages.”

- Tiffany Smith, State Department

Gen Trends in Government

60% of Federal workers eligible to retire by 2015

90% of senior executive leaders

70% of Boomers expect to never retire

45% of Federal new hires open to “govies for life”

42% of college upper class interested in gov’t

What This Means For You

Adapt WYSIWYG, baby

Prepare for your moment to rise

Learn from mentors / senior leaders

Gen Y Perspective

Top 5: Things

Gov Newbies

Need to Know

Gen Y Perspective

1: You’re not

the best

thing since

sliced bread

Gen Y Perspective

2: If you

have

needs,

communicate

them.

Gen Y Perspective

3: You

can’t

do it

all alone.

Gen Y Perspective

4: Pay

attention

to the

culture.

Gen Y Perspective

5: Learn

when

to shut up.

Gen Y Perspective

Moral: Keep an open mind

and have a learner’s attitude.

Baby Boomer Perspective

We ain’t leaving just yet and

we’d like to work with you…

Are Boomers Really Retiring?

Are Boomers Really Retiring?

23

Moral:Hang in

there,

Gen Y!

Early Technology Experiences

Ever heard of or know how it worked (?)

Typing tests as part of employment process

Typing pool

Carbon paper

Correction fluid

Key punch machine

First facsimile machines

Dictation machines

Newsletters

Lack of Communication?

Imagine:

No call waiting

No cell phones

No pagers

No answering machines

No internet

No VTCs

Two party lines

Five digit phone numbers

Employee Viewpoint Survey

- Survey of HHS employees worldwide

- Rolls up into “Best Places to Work” study

- What can we learn about preferences based on age?

Opportunities from the Survey

Survey Questions - make-up of categories

Year

Personal Work

Experience

Recruitment,

Development, &

Retention Performance Culture Leadership

Learning

(Knowledge

Management)

Job

Satisfaction

Satisfaction

with Benefits

2008 Questions: (1 - 10) (11 - 21) (22 - 36) (37 - 47) (48 - 54) (55 - 63) (64 - 74)

EVS Data: Total Agree

Operating Division

Personal Work

Experience

Recruitment,

Development, &

Retention Performance Culture Leadership

Learning

(Knowledge

Management)

Job

Satisfaction

Satisfaction

with Benefits

Over 40 72% 66% 51% 53% 66% 52% 51%

Under 40 72% 68% 52% 56% 70% 56% 52%

EVS Data: Total Disagree

Operating Division

Personal Work

Experience

Recruitment,

Development, &

Retention Performance Culture Leadership

Learning

(Knowledge

Management)

Job

Satisfaction

Satisfaction

with Benefits

Over 40 13% 16% 23% 19% 15% 24% 8%

Under 40 12% 15% 21% 16% 14% 22% 10%

AVERAGE SCORES FOR EACH CATEGORY

Opportunities from the Survey

28

Top 5 Most Important Thing for Boomers

Item Question Total Agree Total Disagree

20 The work I do is important. 90% 3%

54

Employees use information technology (for

example, intranet, shared networks) to perform

work.

88% 4%

69 How satisfied are you with paid vacation time? 86% 5%

6 I like the kind of work I do. 85% 5%

70

How satisfied are you with paid leave for illness

(for example, personal), including family care

situations (for example, childbirth/adoption or

eldercare)?

84% 6%

Top 5 Most Important Thing for Gen X & YItem Question Total Agree Total Disagree

54

Employees use information technology (for

example, intranet, shared networks) to perform

work.

89% 4%

20 The work I do is important. 89% 3%

19I know how my work relates to the agency's

goals and priorities.85% 5%

33 I am held accountable for achieving results. 83% 5%

1The people I work with cooperate to get the job

done.83% 9%

90% 88% 86% 85% 84%

3% 4% 5% 5% 6%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

20

54

69 6

70

Question Stem / Question Number

Total Agree Total Disagree

Top 5 Most Important Thing for Boomers

89% 89%85% 83% 83%

4% 3% 5% 5%9%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

54

20

19

33 1

Question Stem / Question Number

Total Agree Total Disagree

Top 5 Most Important Thing for Gen X & Y

What Boomer Leaders Want

• Dependability

• Plain language

• No surprises but…

• Watch over communicating

• Protocol or process

• Learn how to manage your manager

• Professional etiquette

Questions?